Such toy building systems have been known for decades. The simple building blocks have been supplemented with dedicated building elements with either a specific appearance or a mechanical or electrical function to enhance the play value. Such functions include e.g. motors, switches and lamps, but also programmable processors that accept input from sensors and can activate function elements in response to received sensor inputs.
Self-contained function building elements exist which have a function device adapted to perform a preconfigured function, an energy source for providing energy to the function device for performing the function, and a trigger responsive to an external trigger event to trigger the function device to perform the function. Typically, such known function building elements are designed for manual activation of a mechanical trigger and only provide a limited play value.
WO2007/137577 discloses a toy building system comprising function elements and control elements. The function and control elements are electrically interconnectable via a system of wires and plugs, such that the function elements receive both electrical power and control signals from the control elements. Even though this system avoids the need for an electrical power source in the function elements, it requires a certain level of abstract thinking and technical insight in order to correctly interconnect the building elements so as to construct functional toy models from such a system. In particular, an understanding of how a control structure constructed from such a building system works requires basic knowledge about electricity and that electrical signals may be used to control functions.
It thus remains a problem to provide a toy building system that allows small children, e.g. pre-school children, to construct and understand simple control systems.
It is thus generally desirable to provide a toy building system with new building elements that are suitable for use in such a system, and that will enhance the educational and play value of the system.